Response to standard interferon alpha2b and ribavirin combination therapy in chronic hepatitis C treatment naive patients

ABSTRACT

Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C is now well established with conventional interferon or pegylated interferon in combination with ribavirin. Peginterferon Alfa and Ribavirin for 6 to 12 months is currently approved initial therapy, which is expensive. Response of our patients to standard Interferon-alpha-2b and ribavirin for 24 weeks have been studied. The objective of this study was to asses Sustained Viral Response [SVR] with standard Interferon alpha2b and Ribavirin combination treatment in chronic Hepatitis C patients. This quasi-experimental study was conducted at Combined Military Hospital, Quetta from Jan 2006 to Jun 2007. One hundred and three patients, with 20-60 years of age suffering from chronic Hepatitis C were selected on the basis of raised ALT, positive anti-HCV antibodies, evidence of viraemia by quantitative PCR for HCV RNA and liver biopsy. All patients were started on same brand of Interferon alpha-2b, 3 MIU subcutaneously, thrice weekly and oral Ribavirin [1,000-1,200 mg/day] for 24 weeks. End treatment response [ETR] after completion of treatment and SVR six months after ETR were recorded. The 103 patients, 85 males and 18 females with mean age of 21-48 years completed the treatment for 24 weeks. Mean ALT was 96.17 [SD +/- 49.98]. End treatment response [ETR] was 89.3% [p=0.032]. Sustained Viral Response after 6 months of treatment was 86.4% [p=0.034]. Standard Interferon and Ribavirin had excellent SVR. It is effective as well as economical treatment in Chronic Hepatitis C patients